Lights peeped out, one by one, from the cottages as he passed, and when he glanced into them, and saw the cheerful little fires, he thought more compassionately of Gladys, and wondered whether she had found food and lodging for the night.
He was within a mile of a small village that he knew very well, when it was about ten o'clock.

The wind blew rather keenly, and he buttoned up his great-coat, and began to whistle, by way of keeping himself warm.
'Come, old girl! we shall soon have something to eat! come along,' he said to his mare, as he gave her a slight touch with his whip.
He was passing by a very lonely quarry in a field by the road-side, about which he had heard some ugly stories of robbers and ghosts years ago.

Although he was a courageous, he was a superstitious man, and gave his mare another stroke as he encouraged her to proceed.

She started, however, suddenly, and made a kind of halt.

The moon was shining so brightly that Mr Prothero could see into the quarry across the hedge, and he fancied he perceived somebody moving about.